Going to bat for the team

Q: I'm a sales manager for a team of six brilliant people. The team recently closed a sale surpassing their quarterly goals to earn a big bonus. Unfortunately, the product won't be delivered until after the cutoff and bonus payout is based on product delivery date. I feel they've done their job and should reap the benefits. Our company's policy around bonus payout isn't fair. I'm going to bat for them but don't think I'll be able to change the situation.

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A: Your team is lucky to have you -- being in middle management isn't easy because among other things, you're always balancing your team's needs with the businesses. The reality is customers present challenges and rules get in the way. Having the ability to appropriately express emotions like disappointment is a skill managers need to learn and model for employees. How could you and your team benefit from this experience?

Being emotionally intelligent is a trendy buzz term. It means being smart when it comes to expressing your emotions to ensure a positive impact on you and your relationship with others.

A client recently shared his history of masking his emotions at work because of bad experiences -- it's impeding his ability to communicate effectively. Built-up emotion regarding work challenges can get in the way of clear thinking and effective problem solving, having a negative impact on productivity. It's critical for managers to create a safe environment for employees to talk openly.

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goldman is a great read.

Lisa Caswell is a certified executive coach who works with organizations and their people to enhance communication for optimum performance. She can be reached through her web-site, www.beingabetterleader.com

- Have a career question? Write our coaches at provmoney@theprovince.com

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